Neutrophil Membrane-Inspired Nanorobots Act as Antioxidants Ameliorate Ischemia Reperfusion-Induced Acute Kidney Injury

The Efficacy of Ferroptosis Inhibition on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury of Abdominal Organs: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Solid organ transplantation is hampered by complications that arise after ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), a detrimental type of injury for which no adequate treatment options are available. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, is a major driver of IRI. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarizes the effects of pharmacological ferroptosis inhibition in abdominal organs in the setting of IRI. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane were searched for concepts "ferroptosis" and "IRI" in August 2023. To allow for meta-analyses, inhibitors were divided into different intervention pathways: (I) lipophilic radical scavengers, (II) iron chelators, (III) antioxidants, (IV) lipid metabolism inhibitors, (V) combination treatments, and (VI) others. When available, organ function and injury effect sizes were extracted and used for random-effects meta-analyses. In total 79 articles were included, describing 59 unique inhibitors in kidney, liver, and intestinal IRI. No studies in pancreas were found. Overall bias and study quality was unclear and average to low, respectively. Apart from 1 clinical study, all inhibitors were tested in preclinical settings. The vast majority of the studies showed ferroptosis inhibition to be protective against IRI under various treatment conditions. In liver and kidney IRI, meta-analyses on standardized effect sizes from 43 articles showed a combined protective effect against IRI compared with a nontreated controls for all analyzed intervention pathways. In conclusion, ferroptosis inhibition protects against abdominal IRI in preclinical research. Important questions regarding optimal intervention pathway, bioavailability, optimal dosage, side effects etc. should be addressed before clinical introduction.

Engineered macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles attenuate calcium oxalate nephrocalcinosis-induced kidney injury by reducing oxidative stress and pyroptosis

Kidney stones are characterized by a high incidence and recurrence rate, leading to kidney injury, which in turn accelerates stone formation and deposition. Increasing evidence have demonstrated that oxidative stress and cell pyroptosis play important role in the calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones induced kidney injury. Currently, treatments related to oxidative stress and inflammation associated with kidney stones are still relatively limited. Here, we designed engineered macrophage cell membrane-coated hollow mesoporous manganese dioxide nanoparticles loaded with NLRP3 inhibitors Mcc950 (KM@M@M). KM@M@M NPs were modified with Kim-1 targeting peptides on M2-polarized macrophage membranes to achieve better targeted delivery to injured kidney tubules. Compared with traditional drugs, KM@M@M NPs reduce systemic toxicity through targeted drug delivery to the kidneys. In vivo and in vitro results demonstrate that KM@M@M NPs reduces the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in renal tubular epithelial cells by scavenging ROS, thereby downregulating gasdermin D cleavage and the production of inflammatory cytokines, ultimately inhibiting cell pyroptosis. In addition, bioinformatic analysis revealed that KM@M@M NPs protect against CaOx induced kidney injury via suppressing the NLRP3/GSDMD pathway. This article extending the application of engineered cell membrane-based biomimetic nanotechnology, and providing a promising strategy for dual protection in CaOx stones induced kidney injury. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Currently, apart from invasive surgery, there are few pharmacological therapies for CaOx-induced renal injury. This study presents a new strategy using engineered macrophage cell membrane-coated hollow mesoporous manganese dioxide nanoparticles (KM@M@M) to target and treat calcium oxalate (CaOx)-induced kidney injury. The nanoparticles effectively scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation, preventing pyroptosis and kidney damage. By delivering NLRP3 inhibitors directly to injured renal tubules, KM@M@M NPs reduce inflammation and stone deposition. This work demonstrates the potential of biomimetic nanotechnology for targeted treatment, offering a promising approach to prevent CaOx-induced renal injury and enhance therapeutic outcomes in kidney stone disease.

Application of Nanomaterial-Mediated Ferroptosis Regulation in Kidney Disease

Kidney diseases are a significant global cause of death and disability, resulting from the destruction of kidney structure and function due to an imbalance between the death of renal parenchymal cells and the proliferation or recruitment of maladaptive cells, caused by various pathogenic factors. Currently, therapies and their efficacy for kidney diseases are limited. Ferroptosis is a newly discovered iron-dependent regulated cell death. The imbalance of iron homeostasis and lipid metabolism affects the occurrence and progression of kidney diseases by triggering ferroptosis, which is considered an important target for the development of kidney disease drugs. However, in clinical practice, targeted ferroptosis therapy for kidney diseases faces obstacles such as poor drug solubility, low drug resistance, and imprecise targeting. With the rapid development of nanomaterials in the medical field, new opportunities have emerged for the precise regulation of ferroptosis in the treatment of kidney diseases. This article provides a detailed introduction to the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis, the properties of nanomaterials, and their application in the treatment of kidney diseases, with a focus on discussing the mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential of nanomaterials based on ferroptosis regulation in kidney diseases. The aim of this article is to provide new ideas and directions for future kidney disease treatments.

The role of ferroptosis in acute kidney injury: mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common and severe clinical renal syndromes with high morbidity and mortality. Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death (PCD), is characterized by iron overload, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and lipid peroxidation. As ferroptosis has been increasingly studied in recent years, it is closely associated with the pathophysiological process of AKI and provides a target for the treatment of AKI. This review offers a comprehensive overview of the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis, summarizes its role in various AKI models, and explores its interaction with other forms of cell death, it also presents research on ferroptosis in AKI progression to other diseases. Additionally, the review highlights methods for detecting and assessing AKI through the lens of ferroptosis and describes potential inhibitors of ferroptosis for AKI treatment. Finally, the review presents a perspective on the future of clinical AKI treatment, aiming to stimulate further research on ferroptosis in AKI.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Prevent SLC39A14-Dependent Hepatocyte Ferroptosis through Exosomal miR-16-5p in Liver Graft

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is the leading cause of hepatic graft dysfunction, resulting from hepatocyte damage. Nevertheless, given the few specialized therapeutics available in hepatic IRI, additional mechanistic insights into hepatocyte damage are required. Here, the protein solute carrier family 39 member 14 (SLC39A14) is identified as a pro-ferroptosis target in hepatocytes of human liver allografts through single-cell RNA sequencing analysis. SLC39A14 knockdown significantly mitigated hepatic IRI by preventing hepatocyte ferroptosis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, the inhibition of SLC39A14 suppressed non-transferrin-bound iron (NTBI) uptake by hepatocytes, thereby reducing iron overload and cell ferroptosis. Moreover, human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) are found to exhibit a notable therapeutic effect on hepatic IRI by downregulating SLC39A14 expression. Exosomes derived from hBMSCs delivered abundant miR-16-5p into hepatocytes, which post-transcriptionally suppressed the expression of SLC39A14 and reduced cell ferroptosis induced by hepatic IRI. In conclusion, SLC39A14 triggers hepatic IRI by mediating NTBI uptake into hepatocytes and inducing hepatocyte ferroptosis. Moreover, hBMSC-based therapy is promising to reverse this progression of hepatic IRI.

Recent advances of photoresponsive nanomaterials for diagnosis and treatment of acute kidney injury

Non-invasive imaging in the near-infrared region (NIR) offers enhanced tissue penetration, reduced spontaneous fluorescence of biological tissues, and improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), rendering it more suitable for in vivo deep tissue imaging. In recent years, a plethora of NIR photoresponsive materials have been employed for disease diagnosis, particularly acute kidney injury (AKI). These encompass inorganic nonmetallic materials such as carbon (C), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs); precious metal nanoparticles like gold and silver; as well as small molecule and organic semiconductor polymer nanoparticles with near infrared responsiveness. These materials enable effective therapy triggered by NIR light and serve as valuable tools for monitoring AKI in living systems. The review provides a concise overview of the current state and pathological characteristics of AKI, followed by an exploration of the application of nanomaterials and photoresponsive nanomaterials in AKI. Finally, it presents the design challenges and prospects associated with NIR photoresponsive materials in AKI.

Iron homeostasis and ferroptosis in human diseases: mechanisms and therapeutic prospects

Iron, an essential mineral in the body, is involved in numerous physiological processes, making the maintenance of iron homeostasis crucial for overall health. Both iron overload and deficiency can cause various disorders and human diseases. Ferroptosis, a form of cell death dependent on iron, is characterized by the extensive peroxidation of lipids. Unlike other kinds of classical unprogrammed cell death, ferroptosis is primarily linked to disruptions in iron metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant system imbalance. Ferroptosis is regulated through transcription, translation, and post-translational modifications, which affect cellular sensitivity to ferroptosis. Over the past decade or so, numerous diseases have been linked to ferroptosis as part of their etiology, including cancers, metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, central nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal diseases. Ferroptosis-related proteins have become attractive targets for many major human diseases that are currently incurable, and some ferroptosis regulators have shown therapeutic effects in clinical trials although further validation of their clinical potential is needed. Therefore, in-depth analysis of ferroptosis and its potential molecular mechanisms in human diseases may offer additional strategies for clinical prevention and treatment. In this review, we discuss the physiological significance of iron homeostasis in the body, the potential contribution of ferroptosis to the etiology and development of human diseases, along with the evidence supporting targeting ferroptosis as a therapeutic approach. Importantly, we evaluate recent potential therapeutic targets and promising interventions, providing guidance for future targeted treatment therapies against human diseases.

Nanomedicines Targeting Ferroptosis to Treat Stress-Related Diseases

Ferroptosis, a unique form of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent lethal lipid peroxidation, is implicated in various stress-related diseases like neurodegeneration, vasculopathy, and metabolic disturbance. Stress-related diseases encompass widespread medical disorders that are influenced or exacerbated by stress. These stressors can manifest in various organ or tissue systems and have significant implications for human overall health. Understanding ferroptosis in these diseases offers insights for therapeutic strategies targeting relevant pathways. This review explores ferroptosis mechanisms, its role in pathophysiology, its connection to stress-related diseases, and the potential of ferroptosis-targeted nanomedicines in treating conditions. This monograph also delves into the engineering of ferroptosis-targeted nanomedicines for tackling stress-related diseases, including cancer, cardia-cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative, metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Anyhow, nanotherapy targeting ferroptosis holds promise by both promoting and suppressing ferroptosis for managing stress-related diseases.

Cope with copper: From molecular mechanisms of cuproptosis to copper-related kidney diseases

Cuproptosis has recently been identified as a novel regulatory mechanism of cell death. It is characterized by the accumulation of copper in mitochondria and its binding to acylated proteins. These characteristics lead to the downregulation of iron-sulfur cluster proteins and protein toxicity stress, ultimately resulting in cell death. Cuproptosis is distinct from other types of cell death, including necrosis, apoptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. Cu induces oxidative stress damage, protein acylation, and the oligomerization of acylated TCA cycle proteins. These processes lead to the downregulation of iron-sulfur cluster proteins and protein toxicity stress, disrupting cellular Cu homeostasis, and causing cell death. Cuproptosis plays a significant role in the development and progression of various kidney diseases such as acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, diabetic nephropathy, kidney transplantation, and kidney stones. On the one hand, inducers of cuproptosis, such as disulfiram (DSF), chloroquinolone, and elesclomol facilitate cuproptosis by promoting cell oxidative stress. In contrast, inhibitors of Cu chelators, such as tetraethylenepentamine and tetrathiomolybdate, relieve these diseases by inhibiting apoptosis. To summarize, cuproptosis plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of kidney disease. This review comprehensively discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying cuproptosis and its significance in kidney diseases.

Classification and application of metal-based nanoantioxidants in medicine and healthcare

Antioxidants play an important role in the prevention of oxidative stress and have been widely used in medicine and healthcare. However, natural antioxidants have several limitations such as low stability, difficult long-term storage, and high cost of large-scale production. Along with significant advances in nanotechnology, nanomaterials have emerged as a promising solution to improve the limitations of natural antioxidants because of their high stability, easy storage, time effectiveness, and low cost. Among various types of nanomaterials exhibiting antioxidant activity, metal-based nanoantioxidants show excellent reactivity because of the presence of an unpaired electron in their atomic structure. In this review, we summarize some novel metal-based nanoantioxidants and classify them into two main categories, namely chain-breaking and preventive antioxidant nanomaterials. In addition, the applications of antioxidant nanomaterials in medicine and healthcare are also discussed. This review provides a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of metal-based nanoantioxidants and a guideline for using these nanomaterials in medicine and healthcare.